We Wish You A Transformer Christmas
by PhantasmBabeIvory
Summary: A oneshot of Alexis' first memorable Christmas with the two aliens she adores. Set in the Armada Universe. StarscreamAlexis pairing


We Wish You A Transformer Christmas

By: PhantasmBabeIvory

_Author's Notes: I am going to say this takes place seven months after the end of Starxis. For those of you curious as to how this fits with the timeline revealed in Sky Dancer, I will say that the discovery of Energon on Earth has taken place. The plans for the Transformer colonies are in the very early development stages; Optimus and his men, when on Earth, are operating out of their original base. However, Starscream is the only one who resides there full-time, as a means of helping care for Starxis._

_Also, Blurr is still alive at this point. (Sorry to all fans of the character for killing him off; don't hate me too much for that.)_

_Hope you all enjoy this one-shot of Alexis' first Christmas with Starscream and Starxis. If you haven't already, I highly recommend reading the previous story first to eliminate any confusion surrounding this premise.

* * *

_

One of the greatest difficulties of becoming the adopted parent (courtesy of a little thing called imprinting) of an utterly lovable furry extraterrestrial, when you were little more than a sixteen year old girl, was getting your own parents to accept said alien as a member of the family.

It seemed bizarre that the majority of friends that Alexis Carpenter had gained over the past two years weren't even of her own race. Regardless of her reasons for coming to associate with a group of giant alien robots called Transformers on a day-to-day basis (a fact that she'd hidden from her parents for a great deal of time), she had grown quite accustomed to them in a short period of time.

Nowadays, she couldn't imagine being without at least one of those who had become so near and dear to her. For the most part, Alexis would have Starxis (her adopted child) with her in the evenings and on weekends. Much as it unnerved her parents to have this ferret-like critter that was the size of an overgrown wolf around, they had reluctantly accepted that Starxis had formed an unbreakable attachment to their daughter.

At least their fear from the first few weeks had diminished, following the day that Alexis had first introduced them to Starxis. Yet, while there seemed to be less fear that the youngling would harm them or their daughter, Alexis' parents still seemed tense at having him around.

Alexis dreaded the day when she would actually tell them that she'd fallen in love with the Transformer (Starscream) that Starxis had adopted as his father. Granted, they knew of Starscream's existence, but not of how Alexis felt for him. If their reactions to Starxis was any indication, she could only imagine how they'd take _that_ news.

In either case, an ongoing argument between Alexis and her parents (touched upon over the past two weeks) was rearing its ugly head on the evening of December 9th, when they were halfway through dinner. Her head bowed, Alexis could feel her face reddening as her father's harsh words sank in. Knowing that Starxis could read her thoughts, she sent out a mental impression to warn him against hissing at those who were making her angry. Her parents hated when he did that, and it would only serve to make this current situation worse.

Raising her head a notch, Alexis let out a deep breath and said quietly, "I'm not asking that much, Dad… And I wouldn't be saying anything if I didn't want your approval…"

Her father set his silverware down with such anger that it caused her to break off. "And I shouldn't have to keep repeating myself, young lady," he said in his sternest tone. "We are your family!" He paused, making an effort to calm himself, then continued with, "Much as you pretend otherwise, that animal that your mother and I allow to stay here is nothing more than a pet! And this forty-five foot tall robot you call a friend -- you don't owe him anything. I doubt he even understands the meaning of Christmas."

Alexis bit her lip to keep from crying, lowering her head once more to hide the sorrow in her eyes. She knew her father was wrong, but she was too upset to argue the point at this moment. Starxis was far too intelligent, despite still being an infant, to be thought of as a mere animal. And Starscream… While it was true that he didn't fully comprehend human customs or holidays, he had been trying to learn and/or develop an understanding for her sake.

Sensing her mood, Starxis rose from his spot on the floor, using the tablecloth to conceal himself from view of her parents as he padded closer and gently nuzzled the hand she had hanging limp at her side. Appreciating the youngling's effort to comfort her, Alexis gave the barest of smiles, subtly maneuvering her hand to stroke the fur at his head. Thankfully, Starxis refrained from chirping, providing no indication to her parents that he was even there.

A minute later, Alexis had been cheered up enough to regain her composure. Quietly, she withdrew her hand, focusing back on the plate before her and resuming with the meal. Though she didn't say so aloud, she was stubbornly thinking, _This argument's not over, Dad! Whatever I have to say or do, I will be spending Christmas with my other family as well!

* * *

_

The next morning saw Alexis departing her house before daybreak with Starxis, using the darkness to conceal the youngling from view as she made her way across town. Stopping by the hidden base that her Transformer friends had utilized during their first year on Earth, to visit briefly with Starscream and leave the youngling to spend the day with him, had become a permanent routine for Alexis while she was in school.

If ever there were a time that she wished that Starscream couldn't hear her thoughts, this moment would be it. Such a thing had become unavoidable so long as they were in the same room and Starxis was with them. The youngling came from a race that was, by nature, telepathic; near as Alexis could determine, Starxis had wanted to extend this ability to his adoptive parents as well.

Alexis watched Starscream hug their furry little friend against his shoulder, gently stroking the brown fur at Starxis' back. In the next second, Starscream was looking at her with sympathetic orange optics before kneeling down so he and Alexis could see each other better.

It was hard to believe, looking at him now, that he had begun his existence as a soldier in the faction of the Transformers race (Decepticons) that were mostly known for being ruthless and power hungry. Yet, Starscream had never truly fit in with them; he had too much of a heart and cared too deeply about things that his comrades (at the time) would hardly give a second thought.

Nevertheless, Starscream's reasons for defecting and joining the opposing team (Autobots) hadn't been totally honorable, but that scarcely mattered in the long run. During the first few strained weeks, Alexis (seeing a kindred spirit in him) had begun to break through the walls he'd built around himself. And then, the two of them had found Starxis, or maybe it was the other way around.

It was because of the girl who'd befriended him and the youngling who'd claimed him as a parent that Starscream had stayed with the Autobots, at a critical moment when one of his former teammates had tried to coax him back into the Decepticon fold. Having these two beings who, time and again, proved they cared for him, had gradually changed Starscream for the better and made him forget his roots.

Looking up at the giant bot before her, Alexis made it clear that she didn't want to talk about how stubborn and unfair her father was being. Paradoxically, she then did offer an opinion about that very subject. "He just doesn't see you and Starxis the way I do," she said softly. "He doesn't know, or want to know, just how much I feel for both of you."

Starscream tilted his head downwards just a notch. There were many things he could have said in response, but he doubted that they were anything she'd want to hear or that they'd have any meaning. It seemed strange that he'd care so much about whether or not he and Alexis would get to celebrate a human holiday together, but the reason it was affecting him to this extent was that it was so important to her.

During the silence, Alexis shifted her weight, readjusting the backpack slung over her shoulder and glancing at her watch. "I should get going," she said, clearing her throat. Looking up at Starscream, she said, "I'll see you and Starxis this evening, okay?"

A warm smile came to his face, sending a small thrill through her heart. "Have a good day," was all he said, in that distinct raspy voice with metallic undertones she loved so much. How funny it was, that Alexis should have found her first love in a giant alien robot (and vice versa), but fate had nevertheless led her down this very path.

She had some time, before her first class of the day, to hang out with the four boys who were just as aware of and on friendly terms with the Transformers as she was. When quizzed by Rad as to whether or not there'd been any change as far as her parents were concerned, Alexis had stated, in a melancholy tone, that it was likely hell would freeze over before her father actually gave in. And given that Christmas was only fifteen days away, she didn't hold out much hope that she'd gain approval for what she wanted.

"That doesn't mean I'm giving up on this," Alexis said when the question arose. "Regardless of what my Mom and Dad think, I'm not going to forfeit my right to be with those I love. If it means being defiant in their eyes, then that's what it takes."

Rad was nodding thoughtfully in response to her statement, though he got a faraway look in his eyes that Alexis found odd. Before she could quiz him on it, the first bell of the day sounded around them, indicating that she and her friends only had five minutes to get to their respective classes. Shortly after this, she and her group dispersed, most of them headed in separate directions.

The school day seemed to pass by in a blur. Whether or not that was because Alexis was, for the most part, unfocused and lost in her own thoughts was uncertain. Immediately after her last class, she had made a beeline for the orange moped (the vehicle mode of a human-sized Transformer named Sureshock) awaiting her in the parking lot; in seconds, she was on her way to the local mall to do some holiday shopping.

After much browsing, Alexis was buying some cookware for her Mom, a new tool belt for her Dad (who worked in construction), and a mix of DVDs, clothes, or video games for three of her four teenage friends. For the fourth, Fred, she decided to wait until closer to the holidays to buy a box of chocolate donuts; there was little that he loved more than junk food.

As for Starscream and Starxis -- well, Alexis was at something of a loss over what to get them. There seemed to be few options or ways to surprise two beings who were capable of hearing her thoughts.

The shock that awaited her, when she ventured up to the base in the mountains come sunset, seemed to provide an answer to this dilemma, though it also served to break her heart just a little. After determining that Starscream and Starxis had gone and that the place was virtually empty, Alexis had run to the communications center (with Sureshock close beside her) to see if there was some explanation.

The printout that had been left for her at one of the terminals did nothing to brighten her mood: _My dearest Alexis,_ it read, _I am sincerely sorry that I cannot be there to offer this to you in person, but Optimus has called for my immediate return to Cybertron at this time. There is a conflict rising between some of the Autobot and Decepticon soldiers on our home planet, and it's felt that I may be the best equipped to deflate it. I know how much you were looking forward to spending this one day together, but I don't yet know how long Starxis and I might be required to remain here._

_If I don't get to see you beforehand, I hope you have a Merry Christmas._

Alexis sank to the floor, dropping the note and hanging her head in sorrow. Sureshock was quick to snatch up the paper and skim over it with his optics before dropping his arms to his sides and fixing her with a sympathetic stare.

After a couple seconds, Sureshock reached out to touch her shoulder, making Alexis look up at him with a slight start. The diminutive Transformer had been with her through one Christmas already, so he had a basic understanding of what the holiday was all about. "I am sorry," Sureshock said simply and quietly, but it was enough.

Alexis reached up with both arms, prompting Sureshock to bend over slightly so she could hug him. Drawing comfort from the human-sized bot, Alexis whispered, "Thank you, Sureshock. I don't know what I'd have done if you weren't here."

What Alexis dreaded the most, upon returning home _without _a certain youngling accompanying her, was fielding questions from her parents on Starxis' absence. Anticipating that her Dad may use this opportunity to gloat or spout off some hurtful comment, she warned him against doing so with a single look.

The resulting dinner was spent in awkward silence, after which Alexis retreated to her room and buried herself in anything she could do (journal writing, computer games, etc.) to distract herself from how hurt she was…

* * *

The closer it got to Christmas, the more frequently Alexis would go to visit the base in the hopes that her loved ones may have returned. She was disillusioned each time, and by the time the holiday was only three days away, she decided she might as well give up. If by chance Starscream and Starxis did come back before Dec. 25th, they would surely contact her, knowing how important this was to her. 

Her get-together with Rad and the other boys on the evening of the 22nd, when they met at a local coffee shop to exchange gifts, proved to be just what Alexis needed to offset the disappointment she'd been experiencing over the past couple weeks. By the end of the private celebration, she was feeling much better and had resigned herself to being without a certain Transformer and youngling she had grown to care very deeply about. There would always be other years to celebrate with them.

But, oh, there would have been something extra special about it this time, given that it had only been seven and a half months since she'd befriended and fallen in love with both of them. The first year\time of anything had a way of becoming the most cherished memory.

The 23rd of December, and then Christmas Eve, passed with little fanfare. Alexis' grandparents (on both her Mom and Dad's side) stopped by for several hours on the first day, and a dinner of turkey, stuffing, corn, and apple pie awaited on the second. For whatever reason, they didn't feel any different or more special than any other day. That could have been because she was, in part, going through the motions.

After helping clean up the kitchen (and being mildly surprised when her Mom didn't comment on her subdued temperament), Alexis had spent an hour or two in her room wrapping gifts before taking them down to place under the tree. Following this, she spent an indeterminate amount of time watching television in silence with her parents before asking to be excused and retreating upstairs once more.

Since Sureshock had remained at the base in the mountains and had promised to radio her in the event that Starscream had returned, Alexis couldn't help transmitting a message to him through her own communicator to ask if there'd even been any word from Cybertron.

This, too, served to dash her hopes.

Turning off the lights in her room, she walked to her window and kneeled by the sill, peering up into the clear night sky. For a moment, her blue eyes roamed amongst the stars, until she realized she didn't know just which direction Cybertron was located in.

With a sigh, Alexis threw a brief glance to the sealed gifts sitting atop her desk (which would probably go some time before being unwrapped) before returning her gaze to the night sky. Gently, she whispered, "Starscream. Starxis. I don't know where either of you are right now, but… Merry Christmas. And, I love you both…"

* * *

She wasn't even aware of having nodded off when she felt someone gently shaking her. With a start, Alexis lifted her head, and the scream died on her lips as she instantaneously recognized Sureshock's face. The small orange bot had one finger raised in front of his faceplate (about where his mouth should be) as a warning to her to keep quiet, but he probably needn't have bothered with the gesture. 

Alexis scooted into a sitting position, throwing a glance at her clock to see that it was 17 minutes past midnight. She stopped to listen for a few seconds, but didn't get any indication that her parents were still up. Looking back at Sureshock, she was amazed that the diminutive bot could have crept into her house without rousing them.

Before she could say anything, even in a hushed tone, Sureshock was grasping her by one arm and silently urging her to get up. Though confused, Alexis didn't dare make a fuss. Being as quiet as she could, she slipped out of bed and followed the orange bot as he stepped over to the window. (The surreptitious look she threw at Sureshock's feet showed her they'd been well insulated with who knew how much foam padding.)

After collecting the wrapped presents that had been sitting on her desk, Sureshock carefully climbed out onto the overhang just below her window, then turned to help Alexis do likewise. Fortunately, the clothes she'd fallen asleep in were sufficient even at this late hour as protection against the night air. Such was a bonus of living in a year-round cozy climate.

Once she and her diminutive friend were on the ground and a good distance away from the house (she'd fortunately had the presence of mind to shut her window behind them), Alexis finally got the opportunity to ask, "What in the world is going on, Sureshock?" Knowing it couldn't be coincidence that he'd come for her with such precautions in place to avoid detection, she added, "Somebody put you up to this, didn't they?"

In a deep, staccato tone, Sureshock answered, "I'm not supposed to say anything." Once they were down the block, he removed the padding from his feet and switched to his vehicle mode, refusing to speak no matter how much she tried to get further information out of him. With a sigh, Alexis focused on securing the packages to the back of the moped that he'd become. What she knew for certain was that Sureshock would not have made sure to bring them if the recipients would not be around to give them to.

Alexis didn't know what all the secrecy was about, but she imagined that the only way to find out was to go with Sureshock now.

It took roughly twenty minutes to reach the mountains, especially since Sureshock had been going at his lowest speed for the last leg of their journey to ensure she wouldn't get cold. Once she had freed the packages and taken them into her arms, he transformed back into his bot mode and bade her to come with him before leading her in the direction of the hidden base.

Much to Alexis' surprise, the large steel door had been left open as if in anticipation of her arrival. As she and Sureshock stepped inside, her eyes were drawn to the garland, wreaths, and bright Christmas lights that were now adorning every wall of the corridors. Even the connecting hallways she glanced down, as she and her companion passed by, were likewise decorated. In the distance, she could even hear the faint sound of music.

Alexis threw a curious look towards Sureshock, a silly smile coming to her face. Though it had been three days since she'd been here last, she knew that there was no way Starscream could have managed all this on his own. Yet, her inquiries into what exactly was up only had Sureshock urging her on at a slightly faster pace.

It was fortunate that her companion had taken the wrapped presents from her just before they reached the main recreation hall of the base. Otherwise, Alexis might surely have dropped them, she was so startled by the sight that awaited her. She cupped both hands in front of her mouth in delight and to stifle the cry that would have passed through them, even as she tentatively stepped forward. In the next instant, tears stung the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment.

Her human friends (Rad, Carlos, Billy, and Fred) turned in her direction, alerted by the sign of movement from that entrance to the room. As one, they all yelled out, "Surprise!"

Rather than answer, Alexis' eyes roved to the buffet table just behind them, taking in the view of ham, cranberries, Christmas cookies, and hors d'oeuvres. It took her some time to find her voice, though she did throw a glance around the room to look for Starscream and Starxis; surely, they had to be here.

She was slightly disappointed when she didn't immediately see any sign of those two, and startled when she turned to see that Sureshock had disappeared on her when she wasn't looking. Beyond curious, she turned towards the boys and stepped towards them, as the tune of "Silent Night" began to resonate in the background. Briefly, her gaze was drawn to an oversized evergreen positioned near the center of the room, adorned with all the fixings one would expect to see on a Christmas tree. There were even a small number of wrapped gifts underneath, including the ones brought here from her house.

The fact that she'd not seen Sureshock go to deposit them there was indicative of how lost she'd been to her shock over this elaborate display.

Once she was within adequate hearing distance of Rad, Alexis said, throwing a glance to the decorations high up on the walls in this room as well, "How did you do all this?"

Rad offered her a warm smile. "I -- well, all of us, actually -- had been planning this for the past couple weeks," he answered. "I'm sorry for the subterfuge, Alexis, but leading you to believe that Starscream was back on Cybertron this whole time was necessary." Without giving her time to react, he went on with, "It was the only way to keep this a secret and give you a Christmas you'd never forget. Otherwise, there was every chance you could have found out what we were up to by reading his thoughts."

When Alexis failed to speak, Carlos jumped in with, "All of our parents, as well as Billy's aunt and uncle, were even in on it. They gave us permission to host this little party so long as we promised to be back first thing in the morning."

Billy stepped forward, looking more cheerful than Alexis had ever seen him. "Merry Christmas, Alexis," he said simply, wearing a huge smile.

Fred, who could always be counted on to have a one-track mind, interjected, "Please tell me you're ready to eat now, cause I'm starving."

This earned a round of laughter from all the other kids. Though Alexis was slightly bothered by the continued absence of a certain Transformer and youngling, she was forced to cast it aside to join her friends in preparing a plate from the buffet. Odds were she'd see Starscream and Starxis soon enough.

She and the boys spent the next half hour eating at a nearby table and talking at length about any and all topics that happened to be raised. Alexis had barely cleaned her plate of the delicious food, enjoying the Christmas music that was still going in the background, when a flicker of movement from a nearby entryway drew her attention.

A joyful cry passed her lips as she took in the sight of three diminutive Transformers/Mini-Cons (Sureshock and his partners in crime, High Wire and Grindor) shuffling into the room, completely decked out with strings of multi-colored Christmas lights wrapped around their arms, legs, and torsos. Given that the lights were burning brightly against the armor of the tiny bots, Alexis quickly reasoned that they were being operated by the internal power source of each Mini-Con that was wearing them.

After a long moment, Alexis looked back at Rad, wearing a broad smile. "I can't believe you engineered all this!"

Rad looked back at her with a sly smile. "You haven't seen anything yet," he teased, putting her mind in overdrive with what else must be in store.

At those words, Alexis threw a glance at the oversized Christmas tree, and then at the decorations on the walls. As she had thought earlier, there was little chance that Starscream (and four human boys) could have managed all this in three days, making her suspect that she could very well be seeing several old friends this evening.

This belief proved valid when, a couple minutes later, the young and naïve Sideswipe tentatively stepped into the room, his manner suggesting that he felt very much out of place. And why not, since he, like the three diminutive Transformers, was decked out in favor of the holidays. After a few delighted laughs, Alexis put him at ease by saying that the giant wreath that had been draped around his neck didn't make him look silly in the slightest.

At the urging of Rad and the other boys, Alexis seated herself on a comfy couch near the tree, throwing a glance at the "fireplace" and chimney that was occupying the space a few yards away. There was a rather convincing, though simulated, fire burning within the independent fixture; it was even generating some heat that she could feel from where she was sitting.

Carlos had just placed a package in her lap, saying shyly that it was from both him and his parents when yet another Transformer came to enter the room. It surprised her that the otherwise aloof Blurr had been talked into dressing up. But, apparently, he had abandoned his pride to the extent that he displayed no problem with the halo and angel wings attached to his chassis. Though Alexis couldn't see his expression beneath his faceplate, the look in his optics indicated he was offering a rare smile.

As she began unwrapping her new gifts (a knitted scarf from Carlos' family and an art book from Rad's), Alexis' joviality grew as several more of her giant friends came to join in on the festivities. Though she was startled by the prospect that Rad had seemed to have rounded up every single member of the old gang for today, it delighted her to no end that the Transformers she'd come to call her closest friends had gone out of their way to make this Christmas as special for her as they possibly could.

To that end, the ever-loyal and brawny Hoist was dressed in a velvet snowman outfit specifically tailored for his size, which Alexis imagined must have taken days to put together. Jetfire, the playful jokester of the group, seemed to be the only one not the least bit uncomfortable with this, which could have been why he'd agreed to appear in an oversized candy cane getup that left only his head and arms visible. And Hot Shot, the impetuous warrior, was sporting a "halo" of mistletoe affixed to his head.

All this had vastly exceeded Alexis' expectations for this evening, and she hadn't even seen any sign of Starscream or Starxis yet. After joking that anyone getting close to Hot Shot should prepare themselves to give or receive a kiss, she thanked the Autobots who had made themselves present for doing this, and this earned a response from Jetfire.

"Thank Rad and Starscream," the playful bot replied. "They're the ones who talked us all into doing this… Of course, that's not to say that it's not worth it." A pause, then, "You've been a great friend to all of us, Alexis, in the time we've known you. There's no one who deserves this more than you."

"I'd have to agree," said a slightly husky voice from the vicinity of the doorway. Alexis' eyes turned in that direction to see that Scavenger, the laid back, most seasoned vet of the bunch had come to join them. Once more, she laughed in delight; the sight of him in an elf costume had that effect on her. And, seeing as most possibilities for varied Christmas outfits had already been presented, she couldn't wait to see what the remaining few Transformers had selected.

After learning that no one else would be coming until after she'd finished opening presents from her human friends (and Alexis guessed that Starscream and the other two Autobots who had yet to make an appearance were watching this from the security monitors), she focused on Billy and Fred as they approached her bearing their own gifts.

These presents (a set of brass picture frames and a box of Godiva chocolates) were just as wonderful as the first two. Even as Alexis was laughing at Fred's seeming eagerness for her to remove the plastic wrapping from the chocolates so she (or rather, he) could dig in, the nine Transformers, large and small, who were currently here drew her attention when they formed rows of three, with the tallest of them at the back.

For a moment, not one of them moved or said anything, until Rad gently prodded them to go on and not worry about feeling self-conscious. And when the group launched into a rendition of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," Alexis laughed once more and clapped her hands in delight, getting strong suspicions that she knew what was coming next.

Nevertheless, she was surprised when the lights in the room began to dim considerably, just as the last bit of the melody was being sung. Until she saw Starxis trouncing into the room with a pair of fake antlers attached to his head and a blinking red (perhaps battery-operated) bulb fixed over his snout, Alexis had been waiting with bated breath.

Starscream and Red Alert (the one and only medic for the group) shuffled in just behind the youngling. The former had two large red ribbons crisscrossing his torso, held in place by a giant white bow. Alexis got a slight laugh at this sight before turning her gaze to Red Alert and seeing he had a number of jingling bells tied to his arms and legs with thick red strings, providing a pleasant ambience to the room with even the slightest movement on his part.

The pinnacle of seeing all her Transformer friends decked out in such festive garb was undoubtedly her first view of Optimus Prime, the stoic (but very kindhearted) commander of the Autobots, dressed up as Santa Claus -- beard and all -- and lugging a red velvet bag undoubtedly filled with even more presents over one shoulder. Alexis had to laugh at his attempt to get in character with a jolly "Ho, ho, ho," but she nevertheless could feel a fresh set of tears stinging at her eyes.

"Thank you," she said aloud. "All of you. This… This is just so wonderful." She wiped at her eyes, looking at each of her friends in turn. "Thank you for giving me an evening I'll always remember."

If there was any lingering humility felt by those who'd been reluctant to do this, it was lost when they saw just how overjoyed Alexis was at their gesture. With an amicable light in his golden optics, Optimus gently set his bag on the floor, loosening the green ropes that were holding it closed and saying, undoubtedly referring to himself and his men, "This is from all of us… I hope that you like it."

Instead of the pile of presents that she'd expected, Alexis was surprised to see the red velvet satchel fall away to reveal a "life-size," gleaming silver sculpture that was a perfect likeness of herself, Starxis, and Starscream. Though the image of the latter had been molded at one-eighth of his actual height, so he was closer in size to the statue's other two occupants, she still very much adored it.

Looking up at Optimus' bearded face, Alexis said, "I love it! Thank you!"

"You're very welcome," Optimus answered. "Merry Christmas, Alexis…"

* * *

As the night wore on, there was much more celebrating to be had; Alexis even briefly wished that her parents could be here to see this. The sight of seeing so many giant alien robots getting into the spirit of the holidays would surely teach her Dad a thing or two. 

Nevertheless, Alexis still rejoiced in the notion that she was getting her wish after all, even if her parents never learned of it. Odds were she'd be back home before daybreak, in bed and pretending to have slept, without them being any the wiser.

But for now, she was very much content to be alone, though still in the company of those she loved and watching their reactions to the gifts she had given them. For Starxis, though he oft times kept himself quite clean on his own, she had purchased a grooming kit. Much to her delight, the youngling didn't seem to have a problem with this, and even offered her a small cheerful chirp that seemed to be his way of saying thanks.

Selecting an appropriate gift for Starscream had been a lot more difficult, but Alexis had stumbled upon the perfect one just five days earlier. Still, there was nothing more bewildering to him than to be presented with one half of a "broken" heart necklace that he'd be lucky just to fit around his wrist.

Seated in the center of Starscream's right hand and watching him view his half of the necklace with a skeptical look, Alexis took pity on him, even as she secured the matching half around her own neck. (Put together, the two sides of the heart read "Always Yours.") As he'd once told her, when he'd joined the Autobot team seven months prior, Starscream hadn't been used to being given a gift. She had had the privilege of presenting him with his very first one, way back when, but odds were he was still uncertain on how to react to this particular situation.

She was proved wrong a second later, as his orange optics fixed on her and he softly said, "Thank you." There was a slight pause, then he continued with, sounding slightly awkward, "I wish there were an easy way for me to wear it."

Alexis gave a short laugh. _Is that really what you're concerned about?_ she thought, knowing full well that he could hear her. Out loud, she said, "It doesn't matter if you wear it or not." She paused, feeling a touch of irony at her next words even as she voiced them. "Don't you know by now that I don't expect you to wear your heart on your sleeve? We don't need symbols to know how we feel about each other, Starscream."

He still looked slightly perplexed. How funny it was, that he could have lived for thousands of years and yet be so inexperienced when it came to matters of the heart. "Then why…?"

Alexis smiled warmly at him. "I had to get you something, silly… And let's be honest, there's not much that a five-foot human can offer a forty-foot robot that the height barrier doesn't get in the way of."

Starscream laughed heartily at this, then sighed as she scooted higher up on his palm so she was reclining against the silky red ribbon adorning his chest. He so treasured these moments where they were touching each other; if he dimmed his optics, he could almost pretend that there were no barriers between them. After a moment, he said, "I wish I had something to give you then."

Alexis tilted her head to look up at him, smiling as Starxis came to rest next to her. Reaching out with one hand to stroke the youngling's fur, she said, "You already have… Thank you for this evening, Starscream. It was the best gift you could ever have given me."

After a couple seconds, he smiled back, reassured by her words. "You're welcome… Merry Christmas, Alexis," he said softly, an indescribable feeling washing over him even as he voiced it. Much later, he would identify the sensation as elation over having made her so happy.

She shifted her weight so her head lay against her chest, and she delighted in the warmth emanating from beneath his supple metal frame. "Happy first Christmas, Starscream and Starxis," she answered. "May this be a night we'll always remember."

The answering chirp she got from the youngling, and the way Starscream's free hand gently curled around her to warm her further, made Alexis' affection for both of them grow just a little bit stronger. There was no doubt about it -- no matter how unorthodox a picture the three of them made, they were and always would be a family. And, the precious memories built from this night would stay with each of them for years to come, no matter what.

As she crept quietly back into her bedroom, with a little help from Starxis, two hours before dawn, Alexis curled up beneath the covers, mind awash with all the memories generated over the past several hours. And, as she drifted off to sleep, a single sly thought passed through her mind.

_Starscream's going to be hard pressed to top this night, next time around…_


End file.
